Curtain call for several youth hopefuls from the League of Ireland in a friendly tune up for both Republic of Ireland and Celtic FC squads in a match celebrated at Glasgow colossus of Celtic Park.
For the manager of the Green Army, Martin O’ Neill is back to business and start looking for a new generation of players to make up his squad on the eve of preparations for the next EURO qualifiers.
With the call of Graham Burke- Shamrock Rovers, Callum Robinson- Preston North End and Conor O’ Malley- Petersburg United, Shaun Williams- Millwall, Enda Stevens- Sheffield Wednesday, Darragh Lenihan- Blackburn Rovers and Derrick Williams- Blackburn Rovers.
Still for all of these chaps one who will never forget this day will be the Shamrock Rovers Graham Burke getting his first international call.
The man from North Ireland is starting to look at its youth and who can take the challenge for his upcoming project in these friendlies to start making a criterion and idea of who will be making the grade.
So far, in this recent call up, O’ Neill included couples of Airtricity players and maybe for more as his presence in various matches in the League of Ireland have exposed this man interest in players from this association.
By building a provisional squad on the eve of several friendlies against Celtic Glasgow, France (May 28) and USA (June2), the man is on a mission of building this time an all-around contender and fighter when their call of duty calls.
With players from Premiership, Championship, Scottish Premiership and the novelty of a couple from Airtricity, the settings were ready for O’ Neill and Keane to start their arduous task of selecting the best of the Emerald Isle for their upcoming compromises.
Anyway getting back to Celtic Park and facing a wondrous initial eleven that their compatriot Brendan Rodgers sent to counter the Green Army, with his back-to-back campaign treble winners the invincible Bhoys of Celtic FC.
With a score final tied at 2 goal each squad, the local Celtic Bhoys delivered a nice test to the visiting Boys in Green, with scores from the RI from Alan Browne, later equalizing Leight Griffiths, Callum O’ Dowda putting the RI ahead and Patrick Roberts spoil for the equalizer.
Still there is work ahead and with many talented lads to choose from the work of selection for Martin O’ Neill and his assistant Roy Keane will not be an easy endeavor but not difficult. At the end, the overall winners were the Republic of Ireland hopefuls showing of mettle and desires of becoming a part of this squad.
For now, the group will disband and return to their teams and some to enjoy their holidays after their leagues break, but in the case of the Republic of Ireland manager, he is back to the drawing board to develop his next plan of action in his upcoming friendlies.
Still for the North Irelander, youth is in his mind to build a new contender in the Republic of Ireland and a squad that shows off a new confidence and all around hunger to win.
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